Psalms 58
1 For the music director. According to “Do Not Destroy.” A psalm (miktam) of David. You leaders, do you really say what is right? Do you judge people fairly?
For the end. Destroy not: by David, for a memorial. If you do indeed speak righteousness, [then] do you judge rightly, you sons of men.
2 No, for in your minds you plan evil. You cause violence everywhere!
For you work iniquities in [your] hearts in the earth: your hands plot unrighteousness.
3 The wicked are sinners from birth; from the moment they're born they tell lies.
Sinners have gone astray from the womb: they go astray from the belly: they speak lies.
4 They have venom like that of a poisonous snake, and just like a cobra they stop listening,
Their venom is like [that] of a serpent; as [that] of a deaf asp, and that stops her ears;
5 refusing to hear the voice of the snake charmers or the spellbinders.
which will not hear the voice of charmers, nor [heed] the charm prepared skilfully by the wise.
6 God, break their teeth, and smash the jaws of these lions, Lord.
God has crushed their teeth in their mouth: God has broken the cheek-teeth of the lions.
7 May they vanish like water that flows away; when they shoot their arrows may they miss their mark.
They shall utterly pass away like water running through: he shall bend his bow till they shall fail.
8 May they be like the slime of snails that dissolves away, like a stillborn child that never saw the light of day.
They shall be destroyed as melted wax: the fire has fallen and they have not seen the sun.
9 Before the cooking pot is hot from burning thorns, whether fresh or dry, God will blow them away.
Before your thorns feel the white thorn, he shall swallow you up as living, as in his wrath.
10 Those who live right will be happy when they see there is punishment; they will wash their feet in the blood of the wicked.
The righteous shall rejoice when he sees the vengeance of the ungodly: he shall wash his hands in the blood of the sinner.
11 They will say, “There is definitely a reward for those who live right; there is certainly a God who judges fairly on earth.”
And a man shall say, Verily then there is a reward for the righteous: verily there is a God that judges them in the earth.
